When Bella Came Home
by izzybellared
Summary: Thirty-five years after Breaking Dawn, the Cullens return to Forks--but something has changed forever.


In the last forty years, not a day went by that Bella regretted what she had become. She was secure in her relationship with Edward. Every day was the first day and nothing about his perfection ever got old. She had all she wanted from life. Renesmee was a woman now, tall with copper ringlets cascading down her back like a fairy tale princess and she loved Jacob Black. Jacob and Rensemee wandered occasionally, but Renesmee could not bear to be parted from her mother and father for too long, and they made a habit of spending at least six months out of the year with Bella and Edward. Alice and Jasper had left for a while, but had recently returned, and Rosalie and Emmett and Carlisle and Esme were all home. Home in Forks, finally, after an absence of thirty-five years. Her family was together, intact, blissful. And she felt that she would burst with the joy of it. The only thing that could have possibly made her happier was Charlie's presence, so the knock at the door was welcome. Only Charlie would be knocking on the door at this hour of the night on the exact day they'd returned. Bella ran gracefully to the door and flung it open, but the weathered and drawn face wasn't the one she'd been expecting.

"Sue!!" she exclaimed, and then faltered. Sue's expression was grim and Bella fought the sudden desire to wrap her arms around the frail woman. Though Sue was reconciled to having a step-daughter who literally sparkled in the sunlight, she'd never quite warmed up to the vampire family she'd married into. Just now Sue looked determined. Brusque. Scared. "Please come in," said Bella, worry and fear mingling in her wind-chime voice.

Bella opened the door further and waved Sue in. Sue followed Bella into the living room and they both sat on the plush white sofa. Anxiety made Bella careless, and she laid her cold hand on Sue's warm one. Sue flinched, but sudden pity flashed across her face, and she grasped Bella's hand. "It's Charlie," she began, and the story poured out. Charlie had a heart attack earlier in the month. He'd refused to contact Bella then, knowing that Bella would only worry. "He didn't think that there was anything anybody could do and it was already over and done with. He got better real quick, but he had another attack this morning. They say he won't make it…" Her voice broke off and tears filled her brown eyes and spilled out over her wrinkled cheeks.

Edward, eavesdropping on Sue's thoughts, moved to stand behind Bella, one lean pale hand resting on her shoulder. Bella felt for a moment that if her heart could beat, it would break into a million pieces and shatter. She wanted desperately to cry and she blinked her topaz eyes furiously. She looked up at Edward and saw that her entire family was gathered. She choked out a dry gasp, before the wave of calm peace swept through the room.

"Don't," she told Jasper quietly. But she still felt comforted.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"Are you sure?" she asked Sue? "What else did they say? Can Carlisle…" and she glanced at the kind face of her father-in-law.

"I start tomorrow officially, but I can take a look at him now. Would you like that?" Bella nodded and Carlisle was gone so quickly that Sue flinched.

"Shall we go see him together?" she asked Sue.

Sue nodded warily and they rose together.

"I'll get the car," said Edward, but Sue interrupted.

"No. I'll drive. I have the sedan just outside." Bella was overcome with the sudden desire to laugh. Sue had never been a fan of the Cullen's driving style. It seemed so ordinary for Sue to protest. Something Charlie would have done.

"It would be faster if I drove," protested Edward, but Bella shushed him.

"Thank you, Sue. I'd be grateful if you drove me there."

They were too late. Charlie had breathed his last breath at the exact moment Sue had knocked on the Cullens' door. Bella and Renesmee, posing as Charlie's granddaughters, planned the funeral. Alice, who was wont to intervene in most affairs, stayed out of the way. Charlie was buried in the same manner in which he lived-understated, mellow. Sue was there, Seth Clearwater holding his mother's hand. Billy Black sat in his wheelchair, rigid and unmoving. The whole pack came, led by Sam Ulee. Renesmee and Bella held hands and Renesmee cried the tears that Bella was unable to. Later they gathered at big house and told stories on Charlie. Bella sat still, unmoving, and the LaPush pack were just a little uncomfortable, but they stayed for Jacob and for Renesmee. They laughed together and when it was finally time, they went home, leaving the Cullens to their memories.

All the while Bella sat, motionless. She remembered the Christian dogma she'd been taught about how the dead were reunited in heaven. She thought that if that were true, and who really knew, she wouldn't reunite with Charlie. Not for a long, long time, not in forever if she had her way, because heaven wouldn't be heaven if Edward weren't there. But she missed Charlie. Really, truly missed him. And for the first time, Bella really understood what it meant to live forever when people she loved were gone. And for the first time, Bella regretted, just a little, the loss of her humanity.


End file.
